Baby and youth bed assembly



Ap 2, 1957 R. E. ERDKAMP BABY AND YOUTH BED ASSEMBLY 2 sheets-sheet 1Filed Ilay 13, 1954 April 2, 1957 R. E. ERDKAMP BABY AND YOUTH BEDASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13,1954

RE. Erii fgiizp amfiw rev- U ifi d States Pam? 75 BABY AND YOUTH BEDASSEMBLY Richard E. Erdkamp, Exeter, Nebn, assignor of one-half to LarryA. Wadhams, York, Nebr.

Application May;13, 1954, Serial No. 429,635

2 Claims. c1. s--z This invention relates to furniture particularly ofthe type used by infants and youths and also of the universible orconvertible type, and in particular a rectangular-shaped cabinet havinga plurality of drawers and also compartments therein and having a trayadapted to provide a bed for a youth on the upper surface, and alsohaving side frames and a removable cabinet with a plurality of drawerstherein adapted to be positioned on the tray, whereby the device is alsoadapted to be used as a crib for infants.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a convertible piece offurniture that is adapted to be used in the beginning as a crib for aninfant, and which, as the baby grows, is adapted to be changed into abed of a larger size, whereby the same piece of furniture may be useduntil the child is ready to be moved to a conventional bed.

In numerous instances, and particularly where families have only onechild, baby beds or cribs are used for a comparatively short time, andthen discarded. Furthermore, when a baby outgrows a crib he is still tooyoung to use a conventional bed and chairs and other devices areresorted to to prevent the child rolling from the bed to the floor. Itis, therefore, desirable to provide a bed or crib for a child betweenthe infant stage and the time when he is ready for a conventional bed.

With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a box-like framehaving an upper platform with side and end walls supported by posts fromlower side and end rails providing an intermediate area for compartmentsand drawers, and said upper platform providing a bed for a youth, anupper cabinet or chest of drawers adapted to be positioned on one end ofthe platform reducing the area thereof, and frames with spacedvertically disposed bars and having hinged sections therein adapted tobe positioned between the chest of drawers and opposite end of theplatform for retaining an infant on the platform.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to extend the usefulness ofa babys crib so that it may be used until the baby matures into a childof such age that he may use a conventional bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination baby criband cabinet in which drawers and compartments in addition to a sleepingarea are also provided.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a cabinet havinga bedonthe upper surface in which the size of the bed is adapted to bereduced for use as a crib.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination baby criband bed for a youth in which parts of the structure are readilyremovable and replaceableto convert the device from one to the other.

A still further object of theinvention is to provide a combination babycrib, bed for a youth, and cabinet having compartments and a pluralityof drawers therein in which the device is of a simple and economicalconstruction.

' With these and other objects and advantages in view 7 2,787,007 Pat ntd APP. .19 7

l the invention embodies a bed having compartments and a plurality ofdrawers in the lower part thereof, and having a chest of drawers andside rails adapted to be positioned thereon to change the bed to a cribfor an infant. i

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the combination baby criband youth bed with the parts assembled.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the chest of drawers removed from thedevice. 1

Figure 3 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1, with the partsforming the baby crib, drawers and doors omitted, and with parts brokenaway showing the construction of the interior part of the cabinetportion of the device.

Figure 4 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 2, showing theframework of the chest of drawers with the drawers omitted.

Figure 5 is a detail showing a section taken on line 55 of Figure 3,showing the structure of one of the side rails of the device.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the abovereferred to drawings, it is to be understood that they aremerely, forthe purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction maybe resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the inventionmay be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances whichmay arise, without in any way departing from the spirit and intention ofthe device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appendedclaims. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of theinvention, it remains obvious that it may be employed in any othercapacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, thesame reference characters are used to designate the same parts andelements throughout, and in which the numeral 10 refers to the inventionin its entirety, numeral 12 indicating lower side rails, numeral 14, endrails, numeral 16 a floor extended between and supported by the rails,numeral 18 corner posts extended upwardly from the rails, numeral 20 aplatform supported by the posts and other parts of the cabinet andsimilar to and spaced above the floor, numerals 22 and 24 side walls forretaining a mattress on the platform, numerals 26 and 28 end wallsconnected to the ends of the side walls, numeral 30 a back of a chesthaving end walls 32 and 34, a top 36 and drawers 38, and numerals 40 and42 hinged sections of side frames having vertically disposed bars 44 and46, respectively, therein, and adapted to be positioned between thechest and a head board 48 extended upwardly from the end wall 26.

The upper surfaces of the side rails 12 and lower surface of the.platform 20 are provided with tracks or grooves 50 and 52 inwhich doors54, 56 and 58 are slidably mounted, the doors providing closures forcompartments A, B, and C in the framework-below the bed formed by theplatform.. The cabinet is also provided with an end section having. aplurality of drawers 60 therein and the ends of the end section areclosed with panels ,62, whichextend from the corner posts to atransverse partition 64. The cabinet is .also provided with.

transverse partitions 66 and 68 and a longitudinally disposed partition70 which provide dividing walls of the.

Below thefloor 16 and positioned under the partition- 70 is alongitudinally disposed beam 72, and laterally disposed beams 74 and 76are positioned between the beam 72 and side rails 12 for supporting thefloor and transverse partitions. As shown in the broken away portion ofthe side wall 24 in Figure 3, the side walls 22 and 24, and .end walls.26and 28' extend downwardly over the edges of the plat-r form to preventthe mattress holding elements sliding.

laterally on the platform.

The end wall 26 extends' upwardly above the side walls to provide a headpanel .or board, andthe side Walls are provided'with extension panels.78"and 80, each of which is provided with a pair of hole pins 82 thatare adapted to be inserted in openings "84 in the upper edges of'theside walls 22; and 24, as shown in Figure 3;

The drawers in the lower part of one end of the cabinet'are positionedtoslide between the corner posts 18 with the, lower. drawer sliding on thefloor 16, the intermediate drawer slidingon end rails 86 and 88 and afront rail 90; and the upper drawer sliding on end rails 92 and 94 andafront rail96. V

The drawers 38" of the chestof drawers are similarly mounted. with thedrawers sliding on end rails 98 and 100 and front rails 102 and with therails supported by the back 30 andcorner posts 104 and'106. Theend walls32 and 34 of the .chest are .providedvwith slots 108 and 110 which formhandles, and the lower ends, which are positionedto rest upon the upperedges of the side Walls 22 and 24 are provided with cleats 112 thatextend down- Wardly against the inner surfaces of the side walls toretain the chestin position for use, as shown in Figure 1. The chest ofdrawers is detachably seated onthe end of the mattress retainingsection, defined by the flat platform 20, the side walls 22 and 24 andthe end wall 28, with its back wall disposed perpendicular to theplatform 20 and in longitudinally spaced confronting relation to the endwall 26. The chest of drawers reduces the longi-- tudinal, extent of thebed and the back wall thereof serves as a foot board-when the bed .isused as a crib and, extends vertically to. the same height as theheadboard 48 on the end wall 26; The chest is removablerto increase.

the. length of the bed when it is converted into a youth bed. It is heldin place by the cleats 1127andv its attachment to the side frames 40and42. In its attachment to the bed, the top wall of the chest servesideally as a safe place for a baby to be laid while changingit. The topwall is fiat and disposed at a convenient height and the upstandingupper end of the rear wall and the. upper ends of the side walls serveas guards to prevent the baby from rolling off. The open front endenables the dressing of the baby to be conveniently accomplished and theperson dressing the baby stands ,in front thereof so that the baby,cannot roll off the top wall. The easy accessibility of the drawers 38enables the baby to be entirely dressed without necessitating removalthereof from .the safely enclosed top wall 36.

The lower sections 42 of the sideframes are connected by hinges 114 tothe side walls 22 and 24 and theends are retained in position bykeepers, such as spring actuated balls 116 and 118, which-coact withsockets in the meeting edges ofthe sections and chestat one end, and endWall26 at the other. The upper sections 40. are connected to the lowersections with hinges 120, and the ends are provided with keepers. 122and 124, similar to the keepers 116 and 118.

The head'board48, which is positioned on the end wall 26, is retained inposition with hole pins similar to the hole pins 82, shown in Figure 3,and with the head board, side frames and chest of drawers in position acrib isrprovided on the platform.

By this means an article of furniture is provided which with the partsas shown in Figure 1, is adapted to be used as a crib for ababy orinfant, with the side frames retaining the baby in the crib, and'withthecabinets providing upper and lower'sets of drawersfor towels, diapersand other clothing, and the like; and with the chest of drawers, sideframes, and head board removed and the extension panels 78 and 80positioned on the side walls, as shown in Figure 3, a bed for a youth isformed.

A baby and youth bed assembly is, therefore, provided which obviates thenecessity of discarding the original baby crib and purchasingbeds ofdifferent sizes as a child grows.

From the foregoing specification, it will become apparent thattheinvention disclosed will adequately, ac-

complish the functions for-v Which it hasbeen designed and in aneconomical manner, and that its simplicity, accuracy, andease ofoperation-are sueh as to provide a relatively inexpensive device,considering what it will accomplish, and that it will find an importantplace in the art to which it appertains when once placed on the market.

It is thought that. persons skilled in theart to which the inventionrelates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of theinventionafter considering the description in connection with the drawings.Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details and parts suchas'come within the purview of the inventionclaimed may be resorted to inactual practice, if'desired.

Having now described the invention that which-is claimed to be new anddesired to be procured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A combination article of furniture which is convertible from a cribto a youth bed comprisinga horizontally disposed rectangular platformon'which a body of an infant may be positioned, means supporting saidplatform in anelevated horizontal plane, upstanding side and end wallsdisposed at the sides and ends of the platform and cooperatingtherewithto provide an enclosure for the platform; a chest of drawers'detachablydisposed at one end-of the enclosure and formed to be seated on theupper edges of one end wall and the adjoining upper edges of theside-walls, the chest of drawers having a rear wall disposed inconfronting, parallel relation to theother end wall of the enclosure,means detachably locating the chest of drawers in place whereby thelength of such enclosure. is decreased for use of the bed as a crib,

said chest of .drawers having sliding drawers therein which slideoutwardly from the front wall thereof and having a flat top whichdefines a baby changing surface, said other end wall of the enclosurehaving a detachable upper end extension which defines therewith an endwall of a height substantially equal to the height of the rear wall ofthe chest of drawers and side guards detachably connected to the otherend wall and extension and the rear wall and hingedly attached to theupper edges of the side walls and constituting vertical prolongations ofthe side walls and extending longitudinally between the other end walland the rear wall of the chest.

2. A bed as claimed in claim 1, wherein said chest. of drawers has sidewalls which upstand beyond the top wall and has its rear wall upstandingbeyond the top wall to provide guards for the top wall which is open atthe front of the chest of drawers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7164,290 French i June 8, 1875 1,372,105 Stulck Mar. 22, 1921 1,391,462Cornelison Sept. 20, 1921 2,412,005 Parsons Dec. 3, 1946- FOREIGNPATENTS 188,143 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1922 579,450 Great Britain Aug.2," 1946

